


Master and Hound

by syrenpan



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Drama, M/M, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2018-03-02 15:39:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2817449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syrenpan/pseuds/syrenpan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Warning: Major character death and major plot spoiler for Dragon Age: Inquisition. </p><p>Just to put us all in Saturnalia spirit!</p><p>T-rating for swearing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Master and Hound

**Author's Note:**

> Dragon Age (c) Bioware - No copyright infringement intended.

'He's round the back, up at the grove,' the innkeeper said.

Varric just nodded and felt the man's eyes following him as he walked down the muddy path until he turned a corner around the building.

The path climbed quickly, getting narrower the higher up the hill Varric got. He grunted at the unexpected effort it took to follow the trail as the sun fell over the horizon, plunging the world into twilight.

Finding Fenris hadn't been difficult compared to making the journey here. It had been a long trip from the ass end of nowhere that was Skyhold to this other ass end of nowhere between Ostagar and where Lothering used to be, and Varric had felt nauseated most of the way, hitching rides with various merchants until he ended up at an inn that you had to know was there.

'I shouldn't be here,' Varric mumbled under his breath. 'Correction, I shouldn't have to be here. This sucks! Thanks, Inquisitor, you fucking... arg, hang it all.'

The air grew colder with every step and even in the waning light. Varric could see little clouds of white coming in short puffs out of his mouth as he continued to curse under his breath.

Nothing had been right since Adamant.

The path ended in a small clearing that was lit by the light of a torch rammed into the soft earth. Someone had been busy here, expertly stacking logs into a neat flat pile as tall as Varric.

The white haired elf stood holding a huge wrapped bundle in his arms as if it weighed nothing. With great care, Fenris placed the bundle on the pyre. The rough spun blanket shifted a little revealing a huge back paw.

Varric's throat clenched. 'Shit.'

As if oblivious to the dwarf's presence, Fenris emptied a large jug over the body. Thick liquid that even form a distance Varric could identify as lamp oil soaked into the cloth.

'Fenris,' Varric called softly but the other continued to ignore him. Green eyes focused on the task as he plucked the torch out of the mud and stood over the body.

'I don't know what Mabari's believe in. Maybe you think there is a Maker or maybe you walk with the Dread Wolf in the Beyond but wherever you go, please find him, and when you do, tell him...,' Fenris' voice broke.

Varric took a step but the other shot him a look, the first sign he had even realised that the dwarf was present. Varric stopped and stood as Fenris continued.

'Tell him I won't forgive him.'

Varric closed his eyes as he listened.

'Tell him, 'I love you and I won't be long.' With those last words the warrior lowered the torch, the oil-soaked fabric blazed and soon flames licked toward the night sky, carrying the scent of burning wood and the soul of yet another friend gone from this world.

Varric had lost track of time as he fought with his own grief. He could only imagine the pain Fenris must be in. When he looked up, he saw the elf still standing in front of the pyre, torch in hand and his eyes raised to the stars.

'How did you know?'

Fenris lowered his gaze to meet Varric's. 'Last night, I dreamed...I think I dreamed I was waking up in my bed at the inn. Hawke stood in the door. Dog looked up but instead of rushing to greet him, he whined. He cried the way dogs cry when they are in pain, and when he finally howled I felt it in my bones down to the very essence of my being. I woke up, and he was gone. They were both gone.'

'He died protecting the world.'

'Of course he did.'

'Just...'

'What?'

'That was two months ago. I meant to write but for once the words wouldn't come, I owed it to you, and to Hawke, to tell you in person. I'm sorry.'

'Thank you, Varric. You have been a good friend to him, and to me, to us.'

'No, I haven't,' Varric shot back angrily. Guilt and grief had been his constant companion since that day but Fenris did not deserve to be on the receiving end of his self-directed anger. 'Sorry, I'm sorry. It's been...'

Fenris took a few steps closer and gently laid a hand on the dwarf's shoulder.

Varric brushed at the tears that threatened to spill out of his eyes.

'Hey, if he died two months ago how come you only had a vision or dream or whatever now?'

Fenris smiled,' Well, he always was a bit late, wasn't he?'

Despite himself Varric laughed. 'That he was, that beautiful bastard.'

With one last look at the pyre, Fenris said, 'Let's go back, you must be tired and I think I want to drink tonight and listen to a story about a tall, swarthy warrior who saved the world a lot.'

'I guess I can manage that.'

  
  


The End

 


End file.
